The New Jedi Order: Hunter, Killer
by Reidech
Summary: A valuable weapon has fallen into the Yuuzhan Vong's hands, one the Jedi have thought to be long since dead and forgotten an old man who brings with him the knowledge of the ways of the Jedi's greatest enemy, the Sith.
1. Prologue

( This is the first segment of a story I've had in my head for a while. Some of my stuff might go against the books, because I've only read a few books in the series, so I am not making the time period too specific, and sort of taking quite a few liberties with the NJO world. It will be as faithful as possible, and I intend to introduce a really COOL character, including Jaina and Jacen. )

" The New Jedi Order: Hunter, Killer "

**Prologue**:

" I don't understand it, why would we be sent on such a menial task, Dara? " Irritation was quite evident in the young Jedi's tone, it had become increasingly apparent to Ratho that this was little more than a mill of the run sweep of a sector that had more or less been confirmed clear of Yuuzhan Vong presence. To think that a Jedi would be sent on such an assignment felt utterly degrading. The headstrong Bespin native's features were illuminated by the freighter ship's consoles, flushing his stern, borderline pouting features in an array of aquamarine and light blue light.

Even the very ship they traveled in seemed to speak of how completely unimportant their mission was, had there been any real danger in this sector they would have been flying an armed transport, even an outdated X-Wing would have been better than this. Serving as a stark contrast to her companion, Dara's own console lit face was marked with a smile, finding amusement at her friend's attitude and different perspective to this entire ordeal.

" Ratho, we can't all be fighting at the frontlines. If everyone was at the front, in the face of danger, well then our enemies would simply attack us back here. Who knows, this could become the front someday soon! " The Twi'lek's disposition did little to improve her Bespin companion's own, and oddly enough, he was the senior of the two. Though, she'd progressed through the ranks at a faster rate than most anticipated in her own right, and at this pace she was destined to leave the impatient Ratho in the dust, a fact he knew well.

" Yeah, and with our luck we'll be sweeping another sector of dead space by the time anything interesting starts coming our way. " A begrudged sigh escaped his lips as he turned to face the navigation computer.

" You know, back in the days of the Old Republic, Jedi considered facing danger _bad luck_, not the other way around. " Dara smirked, turning in her chair to catch what she was sure would be a look of sheer annoyance on Ratho's face, only to find her companion seemingly frozen in place, staring at the navigation screen with a look of growing excitement " What's -- " Before she even asked, she knew what Ratho must have been staring at so intently, or at least what she figured was a vessel of some sort.

" You _are _quick, Dara. You feel it right? " A gloved index finger would jut out toward the holographic display of a stalled vessel not too far from their position, though it wasn't the vessel that had caught both their attention, but rather the weak yet obvious presence of the force that emanated from the blackness of space, the powerless Corellian transport at the very center of it all.

Again, the pair of Jedi contrasted eachother dramatically, whereas Ratho's face had lit up with joy and excitement, Dara's own visage displayed concern and uneasiness. She made no attempt to hide the look from Ratho, just proof of how mature she was among her peers, most would have feared looking weak and probably put up a faux look of excitement. Dara saw no need to look powerful or courageous in front of her peers, she knew she was capable of the traits when it mattered, and popularity or reverence was hardly her agenda in the Academy.

" We should contact the Academy. "

Ratho shook his head, unconsciously fingering the hilt of his lightsaber. " Not a chance, we're going to investigate. I know what you're thinking, Dara, but safety is hardly an issue here. Yes, obviously there's the presence of the dark side on that ship, but it's far too weak to belong to anything truly dangerous. If anything, whatever the source is, it's probably dying. Besides, I'm not going to waste the Academy's time and have them send back up when whatever's on board could be something we can handle ourselves. We'll check it out, _then _report back. "

Dara shifted in her chair a little, knowing Ratho had a valid point. It wasn't practical or wise to have the Academy send needed personnel or resources to check something out that could very well turn out to be trivial in the grand scheme of things, but it wasn't exactly fear or overcautiousness that drove her mode of thinking. " It's just that .. well, for so long we've been fighting blind out here, Ratho. All we've been sensing are our allies out here. We haven't -- "

" Come across the darkside in a long time, I know. It makes me uneasy too, okay? I've gotten used to the fact we're fighting enemies we can't sense, too. And now, out of nowhere, _this. _But if anything I think fighting the Yuuzhan Vong blind has made us stronger to the darkside than anything. It's like we've been doing combat blind folded, and we're starting to do pretty well. Now we're going to face something without that blind fold, if anything this will be a cake walk in comparison. "

The Twi'lek bit her bottom lip, a childish habit she'd never gotten over, even in the Academy, there were quite a few boys that wouldn't have it any other way either, as they rather enjoyed the 18 year old's cute little habit. " Okay, Ratho. You are the senior one here, let's check it out. "

Ratho looked away from the electronic display of the motionless vessel, a smile creased across his lips. " You won't regret this, Dara. It'll be fun. "


	2. Chapter 1: The Prey

**Chapter 1: The Prey **

The lights above the corridor gave sporadic flashes of illumination, dying and resurrecting randomly with no warning. Ratho didn't need light to know how bad off Dara was, he could hear her labored breathing directly beside him, feel the majority of her weight supported on his body as her arm remained wrapped around his shoulder. Most importantly, he could sense her pain through the force, and feel the very life next to him diminishing.

Dara felt cold to him through the force, no longer a vibrant, bright and intense flame of joyful, exuberant life, the embers of her spirit were dying, like a fire that was near it's end. " Damnit, Dara, just hang on a little longer. We're almost there. " _How could things have gone so wrong, _he thought. Had he truly been so foolish and overzealous in his efforts to ferret out the source of distress on the ship that he'd greatly underestimated it's power? _No, Dara felt it too, she would have said something. It was weak when we felt it! Was he baiting us..? And.. why couldn't I sense anything from the other one, not the darkside anyway, is he really -- _

Ratho's attention was drawn byDara's sudden groan, his feet stopped, and he carefully lowered the mortally wounded Jedi to a seat, her back reclining against the cold durasteel corridor wall. " Ratho, that.. that thing, " The male lowered to a crouch, motioning for her to remain silent.

" Don't talk, you need your strength. " Despite his efforts to ease her into silence, the Twi'lek could not help but persist, she was riddled with fear and concern for whatever it was they'd encountered back there. " That thing, how can a Yuuzhan Vong.. no, it's a deception. Just like the old man. " Sweat collected above Ratho's brow, he was nervous, not just for Dara, but for himself. They were still on the Correlian vessel, and for all he knew that creature would be coming after them anytime soon.

_We couldn't even take on that thing together, and that man .. he was definitely the source. He was just watching us the entire time! Like some piece of entertainment, like he knew it would be too much for us to handle. _The sporadic flickering of lights ceased, drenching the corridor in darkness. Noises, durasteel clattering against durasteel resounded back from the way they came. That wasn't what made Ratho jump to his feet and pull Dara up, it was the sudden disappearance of the _his_ presence. He could still sense the old man, he was unmoving in that chamber, quite obviously with no intentions of pursuing them.

The creature, the one that had fought so savagely against he and Dara only to plunge a lightsaber into his friend's side, that was what he was concerned with now, their assailant's presence had seemingly vanished. It was time to hurry back to the ship, get out of here, far away from whatever had attacked them. Much to Dara's discomfort, Ratho would drape her arm around his shoulder, brace her side, and begin to hobble awkwardly toward the ship.

Passing through the airlock, he'd set Dara down and assure her all would be alright with the careful placement of his hand on her shoulder. " I'm sorry. " He couldn't help but feel guilty about what had happened, but in reality there was no way they could have anticipated the events that transpired. Rushing to the cockpit, he'd face the console and prepare to disengage the docking mechanism, then it hit him. _It! How! _Just as suddenly as it'd disappeared, it returned, the strong presence of the force, the cold warrior that had fought so brutally against he and Dara. Ratho's lightsaber was already in both his hands before he even knew it, his thumb swiping across the 'saber's activation switch. He whipped about, the light blue illumination exposing the creature above him.

It was a being of incredible strength and grace, the manner it had wedged itself against the ceiling was remarkable. Arms and legs spread out, hands and feet pressed tightly where corners met, keeping him elevated above his prey with an admirable sort of grace. Muscles relaxed, and the creature dropped suddenly, all Ratho's could see was the bizarre face of a Yuuzhan Vong and the bright crimson glow of its lightsaber, sparks flying as azure and scarlet blade's met in a deadlock.

_What are you? Yuuzhan Vong do not exist in the force, much less wield lightsabers! _Ratho was cornered, his back pressed painfully against the console behind him as he struggled to push his aggressor back, unable to move his lightsaber forward more than a couple of inches. Most disturbing was the apathetic look in the warrior's eyes, as if this weren't a struggle for him at all.

Ratho knew he had to push his opponent back, strike at him some how, turn the tables and corner _him._ His eyes darted to the side, glancing at the mechanism that controlled the door to the cockpit. _That's it! _He searched through the force, the pieces of the puzzle coming together, he could see the outcome of this clash. _Move the mechanism, close the door, force him back, corner the quick beast, take away any space for him to move around, strike him down_. The doors came to a sudden close the second he forced the mechanism to activate, with a grunt Ratho threw his opponent backward, the ripples of the force tossing back a few loose tools that had been laying on the console as well. This would be where the warrior's back would strike the closed door, his ability to maneuver gone, and Ratho would move in for the kill.

_No, I was wrong._ It was only in the last moment that Ratho realized he'd been betrayed by the vision of his own immediate future. The nameless warrior did not slam back first into the door as he'd foreseen, instead he gave off another brilliant display of grace, his frame flipped backward, feet slamming against the surface of the door, and briefly defying gravity as he used it as leverage to push himself forward. Ratho made a final attempt to combat this turn of sudden events, bring his lightsaber to slash from above and to the side, as if to sever the warrior's arm. He was too fast, before he could even complete the arc of his lightsaber, the warrior had zipped past his frame in midair, a flash of crimson as the lightsaber slashed across the Jedi's torso, a mortal blow that would end the now fallen Jedi's life in a matter of precious seconds.

He landed ever so softly upon the top of the console in a crouch, his lightsaber deactivated as he turned and hopped down, bare feet touching cold durasteel. Cold, unmoving Yuuzhan features looked down at the dying Jedi in his last breaths, but the eyes that stared down did not belong to any Yuuzhan Vong, Ratho, however in pain he was, realized this. " You .. ahh, ..aren't.. " _I .. didn't notice before .. too dark.. too fast.. too intense.. his body.. his eyes.._ Blurs flawed his vision, but he could see his killer more clearly than in that chamber, it had been too dark in there, and he'd been moving around so erratically, he couldn't see him. Now he could see perfectly, the mysterious attacker had a man's body. He wore no clothing to cover his upper body, a lean, sinewy form, muscular and tanned flesh that covered an expanse of broad shoulders. His lower torso covered by a light blue fabric that was seemingly tied to his waist, hanging below his knees but exposing the side of one toned thigh, the right one.

The deception started at the man's left shoulder, a piece of living, organic armor that covered his entire shoulder, down to the arm, armor used by the Yuuzhan Vong. " Who .. are ... aghh.. " Ratho couldn't force it out any longer, his breath was giving way, but the silent man posing as a Yuuzhan Vong seemed to understand. That living armor encased hand lifted, removing what was now clearly the dried, severed head of a fallen Yuuzhan Vong, now used as a mask of sorts. Holding the mask to his side, Ratho could now see his killer for what he was, and he could only think of one word to describe what he saw be his life faded. _Savage..._


End file.
